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AURORA LIKED SCIENCE CLASS, NOT THE SUBJECT.

The class was filled with nearly thirty kids, so Mrs. O'Conley often let everyone off easy. Aurora sat at the back of the class, Jimmy on one side of her and Sana on the other. In front of her was Ethan — the one from her math class — and next to him were Drew, Jacki and Leah. 

Nea sat at the front of the class, right in front of the teacher, because she didn't like the little corner everyone had tried to squish into.

Mrs. O'Conley was a good teacher, Aurora knew that. But the material she had to teach the students was a little boring. And on top of that, Aurora often caught the teacher staring at her, eyes narrowed and lip curled, as if she'd just smelt something really foul.

"Alright, let's get into your groups," Mrs. O'Conley said, handing out worksheets. "I announced your groups yesterday, if you don't remember who's in your group, find out."

"Thank you," Aurora said as the teacher handed her the worksheet.

Mrs. O'Conley wanted to start this assignment yesterday, but she'd only had time to announce the groups before the bell rang. Aurora was with Jimmy, Ethan and Drew. All in all, it could've been worse.

The four of them fit their desks together, making a group. 

Drew sat in her seat next to Ethan, twirling her pencil mindlessly. Ethan scowled at the worksheet. Aurora blinked twice, unable to read the assignment requirements very well.

"Okay, so we need someone to research the effect of emulsifiers and different types of them and lots of background information on them," Jimmy said, reading the worksheet out loud. "And then someone else to think of a safe experiment that we can use to display the effect of emulsifiers to the class."

Drew shrugged, "I'll do the research."

"Great, Ethan you can help her," Jimmy said before Aurora could volunteer.

Ethan shrugged, as if he didn't really care.

Aurora pursed her lips, trying not to look disappointed. She needed solid confirmation that Drew was a demigod, and she'd thought that the group assignment was the perfect idea.

But of course, Ethan had to be paired up with Drew instead.

"That means you're with me," Jimmy said to Aurora. "We need to think of an experiment to show this to our class."

"Okay, just one problem," Aurora said. "What's an emulsifier?"

Jimmy laughed, "Dude, where the hell have you been for the past three weeks?"

Aurora didn't answer.

"This is literally the only thing we've done," he told her. "It's used to bring together polar and non-polar molecules during experiments and stuff."

"Oh right," she nodded. "So... we need to find an example and turn it into a learning experience for the class."

Jimmy smiled, "Exactly."

The two of them put their heads together, trying to think of everyday examples that could be used to show the effects of emulsifiers. Unfortunately, Jimmy managed to get distracted way too easily.

"You're worse than me," Aurora laughed. "And I have ADHD."

Jimmy pretended to be offended, "I am not that bad. Remember P.E. last semester? We were supposed to put the dodgeballs away, and you started a whole volleyball match."

Aurora laughed even though she didn't remember that. It was the way Jimmy was recounting the event — as if it was the funniest thing he'd ever seen, which made Aurora find it funny as well.

"Okay, that's probably not a good example to compare yourself to," she told him.

"I don't care," Jimmy muttered, out of breath from laughing so hard. "It's the only example I will ever compare myself to."

Aurora dropped her face in her hands, laughing as she tried to convince Jimmy she wasn't that horrible. Jimmy dropped his head on the desk, his fist banging against it lightly as he laughed at the memories conjured by the Mist.

"Can you guys shut up?" Ethan drawled in a monotonous voice. "Some of your group members are trying to work."

Aurora looked up at them, seeing Drew gone — most likely skipping class under the pretense of using the washroom — and Ethan flipping through one of the science books from the class, not taking any notes.

"Sorry," she said, clearing her throat and sitting up.

Jimmy laughed a little more, and she swatted the back of his head.

"Dude, shut up."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he took a deep breath, calming himself. "Okay, I'm good now."

Ethan went back to flipping through the science book. Drew returned shortly after Jimmy and Aurora sobered up, sighing loudly as she sat in her seat.

"Nice outfit," Jimmy winked at Drew.

Drew smirked, "Thanks."

Ethan and Aurora shared a glance, before looking away quickly. They were wearing the school uniform.

Of course, Drew had gotten her skirt an inch shorter than the standard uniform size. Maybe that's what Jimmy was complimenting.

A strong feeling of disappointment creeped up on Aurora, and it took her a minute to realize that she was feeling it through the air. It wasn't her. 

Since she hadn't activated her powers and had still felt it, the disappointment was strong. She raised a brow in Jimmy's direction, but the boy seemed to show no sign that he was disappointed. 

Instead, he leaned forward, doing his best to flirt with Drew — who responded enthusiastically.

Aurora went back to brainstorming for the assignment, doing her best to ignore the way the disappointment was coming right off of Jimmy.

After class, she linked arms with Sana and Nea, talking as they walked to their next class together.

"I feel so bad for you," Sana was saying. "I wish Mrs. O'Conley let us pick our own groups."

Aurora shrugged, "I would've loved to be with you guys. But honestly, it wasn't too bad. We're almost done."

"Are you sure?" Nea asked. "Jimmy seemed to be even more focused on trying to get you to like him. It's worse than last semester."

"He's not," she rolled her eyes. "He's just being nice. Honestly, he wasn't that bad. Besides, he doesn't like me like that. Believe me, I would know if he did."

Sana and Nea exchanged glances, but they didn't look convinced.

Aurora rolled her eyes, trying not to think of that fact that Riley didn't know she was in love with Percy until two years later.

Aurora would know if someone liked her, right?

REY WRITES!

thanks for reading!!

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